A Blood Rose Blooms
by True She-wolf Werewolf
Summary: This is the backstory to an OC in the story A VERY Unexpected Journey that I am writing with a friend. It is dark and the character, as of yet is not in the story. She joins in Rivendell, which we have yet to get to. Enjoy


**A/N: Hey y'all! This is the backstory to my OC the Lady Merilwen in the story I am writing in collaboration with Miss_Movie_Girl "**_**A VERY Unexpected Journey"**_**. Go read it. And understand that Merilwen does not join the story till they get to Imladris/Rivendell. Oh and this is not a happy story. You have been warned. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own her and most of these characters. The ones I don't belong to the fabulous Mr. J.R.R Tolkien and his family.**

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I was only eleven when my entire world was destroyed. Everything came crashing down one night while I was wandering around, against my mother's rules of course. Oh! My names are Alia, Merilwen, Fair Rose, Blood Rose and finally Nightshade. I know a lot of names for one person, but with my history it is understandable.

I grew up in the ruins of Beleriand, roaming the land with my small family that included my uncle, my mother, my brother, Valdir, , my fraternal twin sister, Alena, and me. My father, one of the Istari, was killed while mother was still carrying Alena and I. Valdir got to know father, and while many would be jealous of their sibling in such a scenario, I was the exact opposite. I loved my brother with all the love a sister could give, and yes it was only sisterly love for all you disturbed people that would think otherwise. I loved Alena, but she was a sickly child so she was often hidden from Valdir and me.

When I was three my Uncle began training me in the art of defending myself, I picked as quickly as can be expected from a toddler, but I still surpassed what my family was looking for at my age. And by the time I was five I could best Valdir, who was two years my elder, regularly at our sparring. During all of this Alena was also being taught to defend herself; however, it followed a different path. She was being taught how to move quietly and without detection and how to hide no matter where she was.

Life was good. We were friends with the elves that were wandering around in the area as well and they called me Merilwen, as my mother would always call me Rose as a term of endearment. I also became known as Fair Rose at this point, as the parents of one of the three elleths I befriended, decided that Rose was not a proper title for a young girl such as me. I still wish that those friends were near me today, but tis for the best I let them go. There are too many memories tied to them.

Anyways, as I said, life was good, till one night. I was eleven, my birthday had been the day before, and I, since I was eight, and I was a wanderer. I nearly gave my mother and uncle heart attacks numerous times because I would disappear during the night and not return till the following day. Finally my mother got fed up of me wandering and began sleeping with me and forbade me from wandering off at night. I listened to this rue as best I could, but that night I could not help myself. I had to go off and roam for a while. I was planning on going for a walk in the forest that was nearby and returning long before dawn.

Shortly after I had reached the edge of the forest, I turn around to see if they noticed my leaving. When I turned around I saw something that still makes my blood run ice cold and my heart stop. I saw our little encampment go up in flames. I turned and ran into the forest like a coward, but somehow I knew that if I went towards the fire I would die. That night I fell asleep in the arms of a tree.

When I awoke, there was no smoke and I was soaked. It had rained while I slept and put out the flames before they could spread. I climbed down and found my way back to where my family had chosen to sleep last night. Once there I noticed that the bodies of three, not four people lay there in the ash. The bodies of my mother and uncle were barely recognizable, but I could still recognize Valdir the moment my eyes landed on him. Alena had escaped and ran off somewhere.

I found out later that my family was assassinated. My broken soul cried for revenge, and I got it. I tracked down the ones who killed my mother, uncle and Valdir and separated me from my sister. Once I found them I took my time, torturing them and enjoying their screams of pain. Months later I put them out of their misery and began to roam aimlessly, a broken creature that could feel nothing. I soon found that the only way for me to feel anything was to take a human life, so I became that which took my family away from me.

I stayed like this till I was 19, when I found my way into Mirkwood, and stumbled upon the dearest friend I that I had made before that night. It turned out that when she saw the fire, she came to see what it was. When she saw my family dead and burning she tried to put out the fire, and then left for the South when she couldn't. Once in her company I began to regain my humanity. When she learned of what I became she called me Nightshade as I am as beautiful as I am deadly. The next year she introduced me to the king of Mirkwood, Thranduil, and his family. They accepted me graciously and I even, in time, became a Lady of the Court. The elves reverted to calling me Merilwen, save the King, Queen, and the Prince Legolas. They named me Blood Rose in recognition of the fact that much blood was spilled upon and by this rose.

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**A/N: There y'all go. A semi-quick version of the story of Lady Merilwen, explaining all of her various names and just why she is so tortured. I left out the part about how she was trained to heal by the elves and that Valdir was trained as a blacksmith, as they are not all that important. So yeah…. Hope y'all liked it, and any flames will be used to roast marshmallows. R&R!**


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